So… I didn’t win the lotto

That’s right, I’m saying it, I didn’t win. I joined an office pool, I didn’t win. I played my own tickets, I didn’t win. or… did I…? Well I mean, I won something, a paltry 9 dollars from a combination of Mega balls ( I hit 23 twice!), and an additional number or two. I have a friend, and we talk about what we would do… “Hey man, if I win, I’m going to call you and say Don’t go to work today”. We laugh so hard at that prospect. I play the same numbers, and a few others every once in a while, you know, those numbers you had a feeling about, so sure about you could count those millions in your sleep. I’d tell you them, but, just my luck, I print them, you play them, then I’d have to kill myself because now I have to share it… with you. Can’t do that, life is too short, or more than likely too long. Right now, a woman who works at McDonald’s is saying she won and is arguing about whether or not the ticket she claims was a pool of workers ticket or just hers. I would give her some advice, if she is the winner, give them 3 million a piece, they’d settle, trust me.

So here’s my what if. OK let’s say I won. Well, first, I wouldn’t tell anyone, not a soul. I’d go to my best friend’s house, walk to the nearest bus stop and get on the bus with him. I’d show him a newspaper with the winning numbers, then show him the ticket, ah-la “lottery ticket” the movie. After that I’d call my financial planner, and then a lawyer, set up trust and have the trust claim the ticket to give me some additional immunity. Then after getting all that money in the right place before giving some of it away, I’d take a trip, a big trip, a circumnavigate the world trip. I’d do it in five weeks. My first stop Costa Rica.

Yea, you know, good ole’ Costa Rica, with no extradition. But, hey I’m legal so what the heck, I’ll just go just to pretend I’m hiding’ out from the government, for two days. I’d enjoy a good long look at the Pacific, then head to my next destination, Chile. Chile? Why Chili? You might say. Well, after quick stop in the Galapagos, I’d head on down to Chile for my next destination, to look at those wonderful large carvings in the mountains and the plains, then head out to Ester Island.

After that I’d head to New Zealand, then visit the great reef of Australia, do some reef fishing, then head back north to the Philippines, then Taiwan then Japan and Hong Kong. Singapore would be next, then a trip to Mount Everest, just to look at it, I’ve watched too many Discovery channel special of untrained people dying trying to get to the top. OK, next, hmmm, India, I have a few Indian friends I’d role with for a minute, then off to Dubai, hang out with the rich and famous for a day before headed to Israel, then Egypt to see the pyramids. Whew, I’m tired, but I keep going, I’d sleep for a day in the top of the most expensive hotel, then head to Turkey, to absorb some culture and gaze at the Mediterranean. Done yet? Heck no, only half way finished.

Next is Senegal, then up to Italy, and take the train through Europe up to see my cousins’ in Germany. Next would be visits to the Ukraine, Moscow, Poland, Switzerland, Italy, and Greece. I’d flow through Belgium, then down to Paris, and whew, I’d party there for a day or two. Hmmm, what next, OK what the heck, Spain for a minute, then back to France to hang out at one of those cool topless beaches down in south France. OK next, the chunnel to the U.K. go visit the queen, Stonehenge, then take the QE across the Atlantic, in the biggest suite on the boat. I arrive in the big NY, and do something I always wanted to do, go to a cool dance club walk up to the bar and lean over to the woman next to me and say, “Hi, I’m Reggie Hammond”.

You’d have to know your movies to get that one, but I’d do it just to see what kind of reaction I’d get. After that, I’d head to Blue Note, then hang out in Smalls till they close, then find the best breakfast place in New York, get the highest suite in the city sleep till I’m ready to get rolling again. I’d head down to Barbados, come back up through the Florida Keys,

Now the real works begins. Donating a quarter to charitable organizations and scholarships funds. Help out some close friends and family. Start my dream internet/software development business with some real funding and do it the right way. Dang, I can do that!!